[HECnet] Tape drive explosion

[Clem Cole]

TS08 - great drive, I'd love to find one used.


On Fri, Jan 25, 2013 at 2:27 AM, Ian McLaughlin <ian at platinum.net> wrote:
We're any of the other DEC drives released in a scsi version?

Ian

Sent from my iPad

On 2013-01-24, at 8:33 PM, Kari Uusim  ki <uusimaki at exdecfinland.org> wrote:

> On 25.1.2013 0:26, Ian McLaughlin wrote:
>>
>> On 2013-01-24, at 2:06 AM, Kari Uusim  ki <uusimaki at exdecfinland.org> wrote:
>>
>>> Is the takeup leader (the plastic ribbon which is fastened to the internal reel) intact? Its outer end which grabs the tape from the cassette is arrow-shaped. Is the "arrow" quite in order? If not, the takeup leader should be replaced.
>>
>> Tape leader is fine on this drive.   The problem with this cartridge is the spool inside the cartridge jammed and wouldn't rotate causing the drive to not rewind.
> Ok. Cartridge failure, then. Could it have been accidentally dropped? I've seen several times DLT cartriges fail after been dropped on the floor.
>
>>> You can also read a TK50 tape with a newer DLT drive like TZ85, TZ86 and TZ87.
>>
>> Is this true?   According to Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Linear_Tape a CompacTape I can only be read by a TK50 and a TK70.
>>
>> Can anyone confirm or deny this?   I have some newer generation DLT drives, but none of them admit to being backwards compatible that far.
>>
>> Ian
>>
>>
>> .
>
> I'm not sure if others than DEC branded DLT drives (TZ85,TZ86,TZ87) can read TK50 tapes, but DEC drives sure do.
> Even the front of the drive has leds which indicate which formats the drive can handle.
>
> Like Johnny said, Wikipedia articles aren't always the complete truth of the topic.
>
>
> Regards,
>
> Kari
>
>
>
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